Voting-machine.



D. -L. NEWGOMR- VOTING MAOHINE. Y APPLICATION FILED JULY 31, 1899. 'nmmwzp APR. 14, 1902.

947,839. Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

W2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D. L. NEWOOMB.

VOTING MACHINE.

1 21110111011 FILED JULY 31, 1899. RENEWED APR. 14, 1902.

947,839. Patented Feb.1,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHBBT 2. V

DAVID L. NEWCOMB, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

VOTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1910.

Application filed July 31, 1899, Serial No. 725,723. Renewed April 14, 1902. Serial No. 102,916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. NnwooMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented a new and useful Voting Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a voting machine of very simple and compact nature by means of which the votes of indi vidual voters may be rapidly and positively registered and by the use of which many voters can simultaneously and secretly prepare their ballots, and the work of registering the votes with a single one of said machines can be accomplished with as great expedition as is practicable for the mere depositing of ordinary paper-ballots in the ballot-boxes now in common use.

In my invention the ballots are mechanical appliances, the parts of which are to be arranged by the voter in secret, and then the ballot is to be inserted by the election ofiicers into a registering-box and there brought into operation to actuate the appropriate registers to register the votes tor which it has been set.

An object of this invention is to provide a voting-machine by means of which a larger number of voters can be allowed to vote with a single machine in a given time than has heretofore been possible, allowing each voter to use any reasonable time he may require in which to prepare his ballot. This object is attained by providing independent and detached means constructed to be arranged by the voter to indicate the ballot he desires to vote, and means constructed to be operated thereby to register the vote so indi cated, whereby each voter may be furnished at the polls with a ballot member which he can fix to indicate his vote while other voters are arranging like ballot-members with which they have been furnished; and when any voter has so fixed his ballot, the same can be applied to the registering mechanism to register the vote; the principle of this invention being that the ballot is a mechanical means which is independent of, and detached from, the registering means, so that the preparation of any ballot does not interfere with the casting of any other bal- The means which the voter is to arrange to indicate his ballot and which is to operate the registering means, may consist of a main member and other members to be adjusted thereon to indicate the vote to be cast. For the purpose of this description I shall term said adjustable members tappets.

In carrying out this invention, means may be provided which are adapted to receive said detached means when inserted into the machine in one path and also adapted to positively move said detached means in another path, thereby to operate the registering mechanism to register the vote indicated by the detached means or ballot member. When the ballot member is thus inserted into the machine, a relative movement is produced between the ballot member and the registering mechanism so that the two are brought together for the purpose of actuating the registers to indicate the vote to be cast. Two manipulations may thus be required after the ballot is delivered to the official, one being that of depositing the ballot in the machine and the other being an operation of parts of the machine to bring the ballot member and the registering devices into operative conjunction. The balloting member is thus desirably entirely concealed from view during the action of the registering mechanism by the tappets of such member.

It is necessary in a voting machine or voting apparatus that at each actuation thereof the registering device devoted to any candidate voted for must be actuated only sufiiciently to indicate one vote; and the terms voting machine and voting apparatus as used in this application includes only such as is capable of practical use for polling a popular vote.

My invention embraces a voting-machine comprising registering mechanisms; a detachable balloting member or shuttle; and movable tappets carried by said member for operating said registering mechanisms respectively. The balloting member and movable tappets may be variously constructed and arranged without departing from my invention.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown the balloting member composed of a plate provided with two parallel longitudinal grooves having overhanging walls, one of said walls for each groove being plain and smooth, while the other wall is notched, and the tappets consist of pins having heads to seat in said grooves and extend beneath the overhanging walls and having stems to slide along the groove and to fit into the said notches, respectively.

The notched walls of the two grooves are arranged upon the same side of their respective grooves and the notches of the separate grooves are arranged staggered so that when the balloting member is moved sidewise in a path at right angles to the length of the grooves, each of the pins will move in a distinct path so that when the balloting memher is in the machine and is moved to operate the registering mechanisms, each pin can be brought into operative contact with but one of said mechanisms, thus to operate the register allotted to the particular notch in which the tappet is held.

Each balloting member is provided in ad dition to the movable tappets with afixed tappet for the operation of a register to show the total number of votes cast, while the movable tappets operate the registers for the individual candidates; a register being allotted to each candidate and being operated by'the passage of a tappet correspondingly arranged on the balloting member. Said balloting member is to be provided with names for the several candidates, the name for each candidate being applied op posite the place to be occupied by the tappet for operating the register allotted to such candidate.

The balloting members are preferably in the form of rigid plates and are normally detached from the machine so that a large number of individual voters can be supplied at the same time with balloting members and can be allowed to secretly arrange the tappets upon such members to indicate the candidates for whom they respectively wish to vote. 4%. cover is provided for concealing the tappets after they have been arranged and also for positively holding them in place while the balloting member is being carried from the booth or other secret apartment where it has been prepared, and until the balloting member has been placed within the machine ready for actuating the registering mechanisms.

Preferably rotary means are provided i11- side the machine for moving the balloting member to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively, and the case is preferably pro vided with two openings, one to allow the insertion of the balloting member into the case and the other to allow the withdrawal of such member from the case after the ballot has been registered. The rotary device which moves the balloting member to cause the operation of the registers is preferably provided with two seats for the balloting members and the inlet and outlet: openings of the ballot-box or case are arranged on opposite sides of the axis of the rotary device and the seats for said members are correspondingly arranged so that when one of the seats registers with the inletopening, the other seat will register with the outlet-opening, thus to allow one balloting member to be inserted and another balloting member to be withdrawn while the rotary member is in position for that purpose.

My invention may be embodied in various forms and includes the several parts and combinations herein described and claimed.

I regard this invention as a broad departure from the prior art in that it is the first to provide a voting machine comprising a body or receptacle having therein independ ent registers, a portable and detachable mechanical ballot adapted to be placed in the receptacle and carrying register-actuating tappets adapted to be adjusted or arranged on said ballot apart from or independently of said receptacle to indicate the vote to be registered, and means for causing a relative change of position between the ballot and registers to cause tappets to separately actuate appropriate registers to register the inclicated vote.

The principle of this invention is that each voter is supplied with means separate from and indepei'ident of the registering devices and may adjust tappets, 2'. 6., parts, pieces, or members thereon to indicate his vote, and the ballot thus independently arranged by him may then be applied to the registering device and the adjusted tappets separately positively actuate the appropriate independent registers. By this means the voter and all others concerned are assured that by the operation of the mechanism which causes the change of position between the ballot and registers as will hereinafter more fully appear, the indicated vote must inevitably be registered.

By positively actuating independent registers by means which are immediately adj usted by the voter on his own separate indi vidual ballot apart from and independent of the receptacle in which the record of the vote is made and preserved by the operation of the machine, the facility and satisfaction of casting or taking votes will be greatly increased over any voting apparatus which is devoid of the individual ballot on the one hand or the positive actuation of the registers on the other.

By my invention I am the first to combine in one machine means affording the voter an individual detachable ballot and a positive actuation of the separate appropriate registers by parts he adjusts on said ballot to indicate his vote.

I therefore regard this invention as a pioneer invention and believe that this application represents the infancy of an art or the stage of its earliest practical development, and that I am entitled to the broadest construction of my claim within the principle thereof herein set forth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate my invention in one of the forms in which it may be embodied.

Figure I is an elevation of one end of the machine with the balloting members in place. Fig. II is a section of the machine on line indicated by II--II Fig. III. One of the balloting members is shown in position it occupies when the registers are being operated. Fig. III is a plan of the apparatus, the top of the case or box being removed. Fig. IV is an elevation in section on line IV IV Figs. I, II and III, showing the balloting member partially withdrawn from the ballot-box or case. Parts are broken for clearness of illustration. Fig. V is an elevation from the left of Figs. I, II and III, with the register-cover door open to show the dials of the candidate-registers. A fragment of the case is broken away to expose portions of the registering mechanisms. Fig. VI is a perspective fragment-a1 view illustrating the construction of the balloting member shown. A tappet is shown in each one of the grooves and a removable shield or cover is shown in one of the grooves for holding the tappets in place and for concealing them from view. Fig. VII is a view of the same as it would appear after it had been inserted in the rotary device, (not shown), and the shield. withdrawn to leave the tappets free to actuate the registers. Fig. VIII is a view of the same in withdrawing position. The loose tappets are shown in position ready to slide out of the slot. Fig. IX. is a perspective view of the apparatus; portions of the box being broken away to expose the interior construction. A balloting member with the tappet-concealing cases, shields or covers in position is shown partially inserted into the rotary device which is to carry it to cause the tappets to actuate the registers. Fig. X is a plan of the voting machine in use.

In a general way 100 indicates the registering apparatus, 101 a booth and 102 a ballot.

(1. indicates the box receptacle or case of the apparatus. One end of the same is provided with an inlet-opening b and an outletopening Z) for the insertion and withdrawal of the balloting members.

0 indicates a balloting member, the same being a portable and detachable, that is to say, an independent, mechanical ballot or shuttle provided with straight open ended grooves (Z cl having overhanging walls 6,

The walls 6 on one side of the grooves are provided with notches g, g, and the walls f on the left side of the grooves are smooth and straight from end to end and both ends of the groove are open.

it indicates tappets in the form of pins each provided with a head i to seat in the grooves and extending under the overhanging walls and with a stem j to extend up through the notches for the purpose of oper ating the registering mechanisms allotted to said notches, respectively.

By reference to Figs. IV, VII and VIII, it will be seen that the notches g of the groove (Z are arranged staggered with relation to the notches g of the groove (Z.

76 indicates a rotary member, which is shown as a cylinder in the drawings, and is mounted on a shaft m which is journaled in the ends of the ballot-box a and is turned by a crank n.

0 0 indicate slideway seats preferably in the form of dove-tail grooves extending lengthwise in the rotary member In to receive the balloting member 0. Preferably the seats 0 0' are arranged diametrically opposite each other and the inlet and outlet openings 5 Z) are arranged in a corresponding manner so that when one of the ballotmember-seats is brought to register with one of the openings, the other of said seats registers with the other opening. p 20 indicate spring catches for stopping and temporarily holding the rotary member in the positions in which the balloting member seats register with the inlet and outlet openings. Preferably the said openings 6 b are only just large enough to allow the ingress and egress of the balloting member into and out of the ballot-box so that when the balloting member has been inserted, the positions of the tappets which are to operate the registers cannot be seen. lVith that object in view the inlet-opening b is provided with two lateral extensions q through which the two rows of tap pets contained in the two grooves (Z cl may enter. The movable tappets h are designed for registering the votes for the in dividual candidates and a fixed tappet 71, projects from the balloting member in line with the rearmost of the notches g to operate the total vote register 7", the dial of which is made visible through the case of the machine so that it can be inspected at any time.

a indicates a door or cover which is normally locked in place to conceal the dials of the registers r from the individual voters.

The innermost ends of the grooves (Z d (that is to say the ends which will be first inserted into the ballot-box) are open so that the tappet-pins may readily slide out of the grooves when the stems of said pins lie in the main body of the groove, thus not being held by the walls of the notches g or g.

The tappet-pins fit loosely in the grooves, so that they will readily slide across or lengthwise of the grooves, but the heads are of such size as to prevent the tappet-pins from being withdrawn from the grooves except by sliding along the grooves.

5 indicates flanged trough-shaped tappetshields to cover the tappets. One flange is to slide into the grooves to hold the shield in place as indicated in Figs. VI and IX.

t indicates the ballot divided into spaces on which will be placed the names of the candidates. Each name will appear opposite its respective notch.

In practical use of this invention each voter will be supplied with a balloting member and allowed to enter a booth in which he will arrange the tappets to project from the balloting member at the appropriate points to indicate the candidates for whom he desires to vote. He will then apply a shield to cover each row of tappets, as indicated in Fig. IX, and will then pass the balloting member to the election oflicer, who will insert it into the seat of the rotary member. The voting member is held on edge as it is inserted into the inlet 1) so that the notched walls of the grooves will be undermost; so that the force of gravity will hold the pins 72, in their respective notches. The shields are then withdrawn and the rotary member 7a is then rotated to the right or in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs. I, II, III and IX. The plate will thereby be carried upward and the pins will remain in place and will strike upon the underside of the registering-arms or levers a of the register mechanism and will operate them, and as the member 7a is rotated further, thus bringing the notched walls of the grooves uppermost and the plain wall undermost. the pins will drop down out of the notches and will rest upon the plain wall 6 of their re spective grooves. This is the position in which the pins will be when the rotary member has been turned one-half turn to bring its seat containing the balloting member to register with the outlet-opening b. The balloting member is then withdrawn. The side a of the case forms a stop to intercept the said pins when the balloting member is being withdrawn through the opening 6, and as such member is withdrawn from the balloting-box through such opening I) the pins will be stopped inside the case. 1) indicates a drawer in the case to catch the tappet-pins as they fall from the ends of the grooves when the balloting member is with drawn through the outlet 6. 1 indicates a lateral extension of said outlet openings in the path of the permanent tappet-pin it, thus to allow the balloting member to be withdrawn from the ballot-box.

Suitable means are to be provided for starting the balloting member from its seat in the rotary member when the balloting member is in line with the outlet 6. Any suitable means may be provided for this purpose. I provide means to hold inplace and automatically eject the ballot member or shuttle when turned to the outlet-opening. The means which I have shown consist in a spring-operated latch w, the lug a; of which engages with the end of the ballot member to cause the latch to catch on the catch a, thereby to be held until the catch 1 is thrown by the stationary projection 2 of the case or box, thus releasing the latch and allowing the spring 10 thereof to draw it outward, thus to start the balloting member out. The election officer will then withdraw the balloting member and the tappet-pins will fall into the drawer o to be removed when desired. The spring catches p and 7) will hold the handle or crank it in appropriate position for inserting and removing the balloting members.

The respective registers and the spaces for the names on the ballot It will be correspondingly numbered as at 2, 3, &-c., to indicate the candidate to be voted for by a tappet at such space and to be registered by the register allotted to that space, so that when the voting has been accomplished, the registers will appropriately indicate the votes cast.

it" indicates a ratchet which prevents the rotary member from being reversed and more than one vote from being registered before the ballot-shuttle or member is with drawn.

L2 indicates a stop securely fastened within and at the front end of the box so that the movable tappet-pins would come in contact with the same and prevent a complete revolution of the rotary member until the ballot-pins are removed; thereby rendering it impossible to register more than one vote before the ballot member or shuttle is withdrawn.

It is to be understood that the names of the candidates may be applied to the ballot members in any suitable way. The ballots 25 may be of paper or any suitable material pasted or otherwise fastened on the ballotmember. The ballot-members may be of any suitable form. In the drawings they are shown with bevel edges to fit the dovetail grooves.

IVhen the polls are closed, the cover a will be opened to allow inspection of the dials of the candidate-registers and the result of the election can thus be immediately determined at the close of the voting.

IVhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent of the United States is 1. A vote-registering machine comprising independent, detached means constructed to be arranged by the voter to indicate the ballot he desires to vote, mechanism constructed to be operated thereby to register the vote so indicated and means adapted to receive said detached means when inserted into the machine in one path and to move said means in another path, thereby to operate said mechanism to register the vote so indicated.

A vote-registering machine comprising an independent detached ballot, adjustable members constructed to be arranged thereon to indicate the desired vote mechanism comprising separate and independent registers constructed to be operated by said adjustable members and arranged to register the vote so indicated, and means for producing relative movement between said ballot-member and said registering mechanism to cause the actuation of the separate registers by the appropriate members.

3. In a vote-registering machine, a detached ballot-member; members constructed to be adjusted thereon to indicate the vote to be cast; registering means to be actuated by such members. and a shield to conceal said adjusted members.

4. A. voting-machine comprising a case, separate and independent registering mechanisms in the case, a detached balloting member movable tappets carried by such member for operating said registering mechanisms, and means for moving said member inside the case to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms, respectively.

A voting machine comprising registering mechanisms; an independent balloting member with seats therein; movable tappets "for said. seats; and means for moving said member to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively.

6. A voting-machine comprising registering mechanisms; an independent balloting member; movable tappets carried by such member; and a rotating device for carrying said member to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively.

7. A voting-machine comprising registering mechanisms; an independent balloting member provided with a pin-retaining member notched along one side to form seats to receive the stems of tappet-pins; tappetpins respectively provided with heads to seat in said seats; and means for carrying said member to bring the pins into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively.

8. A voting-apparatus comprising a case provided in one wall with openings for the passage of a balloting member into and out of the case; registering mechanisms in the case; detachable balloting members; tappets carried by such members; a rotating device provided with seats for said balloting members and arranged to carry said balloting members to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering arranged to simultaneously register, one with one of said openings and the other with the other of said Wall-openings for the insertion and withdrawal of the balloting members.

9. In a voting machine, the combination of registers; levers operatively connected with the registers for operating the same; detachable balloting members; tappets carried by such members; and a rotating device provided with a seat for the balloting member and arranged to carry the balloting member to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the levers.

10. A voting apparatus comprising registering mechanisms; an independent balloting member; a fixed tappet carried by such member for operating one register to record the total vote; and movable tappets carried by said member for operating others of the registers for recording the votes for the candidates.

11. In a voting-machine provided with separate registering mechanisms, the combination of an independent balloting member comprising a slide; tappets carried by said member for operating the registering mechanisms; an operative device adapted and arranged to receive said slide and to positively move the same into position to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively.

12. A voting apparatus comprising a case provided with registering mechanisms; balloting members; tappets carried by said balloting members; a rotary device provided with seats for said balloting members and arranged to carry said balloting members to bring the tappets into operative engagement with the registering mechanisms respectively; openings being provided in the case to register with said seats for the insertion and withdrawal of said members; a crank for rotating the rotary device; and catches for stopping the rotary device in position when the seats and openings register with each other.

18. In a voting apparatus, the combination of a balloting member; movable tappets for indicating the votes to be cast; registering means to be actuated by said tappets, a detachable cover for said tappets and means for holding the cover in place on the ballot member.

14:. In a voting apparatus, the combination with registering mechanisms of a balloting member provided with a straight longitudinal groove both ends of which are open, said groove having overhanging walls, and one of said walls being notched at intervals; and pins provided with heads to seat in said slot underneath the overhanging walls and with stems to extend out through the notches to form tappets for operating registering mechanisms.

15. In a voting apparatus, the combination of a balloting member provided with a longitudinal groove having overhanging walls and one of said walls being notched; pins having heads to seat in said groove under said walls and stems to extend through the notches to form tappets; registering means to be actuated by said tappets and a cover provided with a groove to chamber the tappets and provided with a lip to extend under the unnotched overhanging wall.

16. In a voting apparatus, the combination of a balloting member provided with two longitudinal grooves having overhanging walls, the wall at one side of the grooves respectively being unnotched and the wall at the other side of the grooves respectively being notched, the notches of the grooves respectively being staggered with relation to each other; and pins with heads to seat in the grooves beneath the overhanging walls and. with stems to extend through the notches to form tappets for operating registering mechanisms and registering mechanisms to be operated by said tappets.

17. A voting apparatus comprising a case; registering mechanisms in the case; a balloting member provided with a groove extending from end to end thereof and having overhanging walls, one of the walls being plain and the other notched; pins provided with heads to seat in said groove under the overhanging walls and with stems to project up through the notches to form tappets for operating the registering mechanisms; and means within the case for carrying the balleting member to bring the tappets into operative engagement with their respective registering mechanisms; and means for withdrawing the balloting member from the case; a stop being provided for intercepting the pins to prevent them from being withdrawn from the case with the balloting member.

18. A voting apparatus comprising a case provided with openings for the insertion and withdrawal of voting members; a detachable voting member provided with grooves open at the end having overhanging walls, the walls along one side of said grooves respectively being plain and the opposite walls being notched; pins provided with heads to seat in said grooves and with stems to extend through the notches and to slide along the grooves between said walls; a rotary device provided with a slideway to form a seat for said voting members respectively; and means for rotating said device to carry the seat from registering with the inlet to register with the outlet; a stop being provided at. the outlet to intercept the pins when they rest upon the unnotched wall and the balloting member is being withdrawn through the outlet.

19. In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle, with one or more longitudinal slots on its upper or face surface, with a ballot thereon, and movable ballot-pins, as hereinbefore described, in combination with a bal lot-pin-cover, used to conceal from view the ballot-pins, and thereby maintain secrecy, and registering means to be operated by said pins all substantially as described.

20. In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle, ballot, movable ballot-pins, and a ballot-pin-cover, as hereinbet'ore described, in combination with a cylinder having one or more longitudinal grooves, prefe ably dovetail, on its outer surface, to receive and operate the ballot-shuttle when a vote is being recorded, all substantially as described.

21. In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle, ballot, ballot-pins, ballot-piireover, and a longitudinally grooved cylinder, as hereinbetore described, in combination with a box provided with two openings on one of its sides, through which the ballot-shuttle is inserted and withdrawn, all substantially as described.

22. In a voting-machii'ie, a movable ballotshuttle, ballot, ballot-pins, ballot-pin-cover, longitudinally grooved cylinder, and a box with two openlngs on one of its sides, as hereinbefore described, in combination with a series of registering-arms, so arranged that the ballot pins, after being put in proper position in the ballot-shuttle and revolved in the cylinder, will strike the underside of said registering-arms and elevate the same, and thereby operate the registers and record the vote, all substantially as described.

In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle, ballot, ball'otpin, ballot-pin-cover, a longitudinally grooved cylinder, and a series of registering arms, as hereinbetore described, in combination with registers placed within and at one end of said box and attached to said registering-arms; the registers being numbered coi'isecutive'ly to correspond with the number opposite the name of each candidate on the ballot-shuttle.

14. In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle. ballot, ballotpins, ballot-pin-cover, a longitudinally grooved cylinder, a series of registering-arms, and registers, as hereinbefore described, in combination with a spring latch in the groove of said cylinder, so situated as to hold in place and automatically eject the ballotshuttle when turned to the opening in the side of said box, through which the ballot-shuttle is withdrawn, all substantially as described.

25. In a voting-machine, a movable ballot shuttle, ballot, ballotpins, ballot-pin-covers,

a longitudinally grooved cylinder, a series of registering arms, registers, and a spring latch in a groove of said cylinder, as hereinbefore described, in combination with a ratchet located within and attached to one side of said box to prevent said cylinder from being reversed and more than one vote from being registered before the ballot-shuttle is withdrawn, all substantially as described.

26. In a voting-machine, a movable ballotshuttle, ballot, ballot-pins, ballot-pin-covers, a longitudinally grooved cylinder, a series of registering-arms, registers, a spring latch in the groove of said cylinder, a ratchet to prevent said cylinder from being reversed, as hereinbefore described, in combination with a projection or stop securely fastened within and at one end of said box, so that the ballotpins come in contact with said projection, and thus prevent a complete revolution of the cylinder until the ballot-pins are removed, and rendering it impossible to register more than one vote before the ballotshuttle is withdrawn, all substantially as described.

27. The combination of a case provided with a ballot-member inlet and a. ballotmember outlet; a rotary member provided with a seat for a ballotmember; a ballotmember for said seat; tappets carried by said ballot-member; registering mechanisms in the case to be operated by the tappets respec tively; and a stop in the path of a tappet to stop rotation of the rotary member after the tappets have passed the registering mechair isms.

2S. Registering means; a ballot provided with means adapted to be arranged to indicate a vote and to actuate the registering means for recording such vote, and means applicable to the ballot for concealing the arrangement of such ballot.

29. A case, separate and independent registering-1nechanisms in the case, a detached balloting-member provided with movable tappets and adapted to move into said case in a determined direction, and means for producing a relative movementbetween said balloting-member and said registering mechanisms within the case in another direction and thereby causing the actuation of the ap propriate registering mechanisms by means of the tappets.

30. A case, registering-mechanisms in the case, a detached balloting-member provided with movable tappets and adapted to move into said case in a determined direction, means for producing a relative movement between said balloting-member and said registering mechanisms within the case in another direction to thereby cause the actuation of the registering mechanisms by means of the tappets, and means for displacing the tappets from operative position after the mechanisms have been operated and before the balloting men'iber is removed from the case.

31. A case having therein two paths for a ballot; registersin the case; a ballot adapted to be inserted into the case in one path and to move within the case in another path and having tappets for actuating theregisters; and means a d apt-ed and arranged for moving the ballot in said other path for actuating the registers.

A case; separate and independent registers therein; a ballot adapted to be inserted into the case and furnished with means for actuating the registers independently of each other; and mechanical means independent of the ballot for causing a relative movement between the ballot and the registers to cause the operation of the appropriate registers by said actuating means.

38. A case; separate and independent registers therein; a ballot adapted to be inserted into and to move within the case and having tappets for actuating the registers; and mechanical means for moving said ballot in said case to cause said tappets to actuate the appropriate registers.

34. A case; separate and independent registers therein; a ballot adapted to be inserted into and to move within the case and having tappets for actuating the registers; and mechanical means adapted and arranged to move the ballot in the case after it has been fully inserted therein to cause the tappets to actuate the appropriate registers.

A case; registers therein; a detached ballot adapted to be inserted into the case and furnished with means for actuating the registers; mechanical means for causing a relative movement between the ballot and the registers to cause the operation of the appropriate registers by the tappets; and a crank for operating such means.

36. A case; registers therein; a ballot adapt-ed to be inserted into the case and furnished with means for actuating the registers; mechanical means for causing a relative movement between the ballot and the registers to cause the operation of the registers by the tappets; a crank for operating such means; and means for stopping the crank at a determined point after the actuation of the registers.

37. A voting machine, comprising a receptable adapted to receive a mechanical ballot, independent registers in said receptacle, a portable and detachable mechanical ballot adapted to be placed in the receptacle and carrying register-actuating tappets adapted to be adjusted or arranged on said ballot apart from said receptacle to indicate the vote to be registered, and means for causing a relative change of position between the ballot and register, to cause tappets to sep aratcly actuate appropriate separate registers to register the indicated vote.

A voting machine comprising a rccep taclc adapted to receive a mechanical ballot, independent registers in said receptacle, a portable and detachable mechanical ballot adapted to be placed in said receptacle and carrying register-actuating tappets adapted to be adjusted on said ballot apart from said receptacle to indicate the vote to be registered, and means for moving the ballot in said receptacle to cause adjusted tappets to actuate appropriate registers.

39. Voting apparatus comprising a booth, registering means having independent registers, and means detached from the registering means and provided with means adapted to be arranged in the booth to indicate a vote and when so arranged, adapted to be applied to said registering means to cause the indicated vote to be registered.

40. Voting apparatus comprising a booth, registering means having independent registers, means detached from the registering means and provided with means adapted to be arranged in the booth to indicate a vote and when so arranged, adapted to be applied to said registering means to cause the indicated vote to be registered, and means applicable to said detached means for concealing the indicated vote.

etl. Registering means, a ballot adapted to be arranged to indicate a vote and to actuate the registering means for recording such vote, and means for obliterating from the ballot the indicated vote, after the vote has been recorded.

l2. Voting apparatus comprising registering means, having independent registers, a separate and independent ballot having means adapted to be arranged to indicate a vote and when so arranged to actuate appropriate registers to cause such vote to be recorded by the registering means.

1-3. Voting apparatus comprising registering means, a ballot adapted to be arranged to indicate a vote and when so arranged to cause such vote to be recorded by the registering means, and means for obliterating the indicated vote after the same has been recorded.

H. Voting apparatus comprising registering means, a ballot adapted to be arranged to indicate a vote and when so arranged to cause such vote to be recorded by the registering means, means applicable to the ballot for concealing the arrangement of such ballot, and means for obliterating the indicated vote after the same has been recorded.

45. In a voting machine, the combination of a series of independent registers, of a carrier, means for operating the carrier, and a portable and detachable mechanical ballot carrying register actuating tappets and adapted to be prepared by the Voter and to be placed upon the carrier to separately actuate the registers when said carrier is operated.

46. Voting apparatus comprising registering means having separate and independent registers a portable and detachable mechanical ballot adapted for arrangement to indicate a vote and for application to said registering means for positively actuating the same, and means for obliterating the indicated vote after the same has been registered.

t7. In voting apparatus, a portable and detachable mechanical ballot comprising a body and movable members thereon, separate and independent registers and a case containing said registers and constructed to admit the ballot to the registers to positively operate the same.

48. A voteregistering machine comprising an independent detached ballot-member; adjustable members constructed to be arranged thereon to indicate the desired ballot; and means constructed to be operated by said ballot member and arranged to register the vote so indicated.

49. In a vote-registering machine, registering mechanism, a detached ballot-member; members constructed to be adjusted thereon to indicate the vote to be cast and to operate said registering mechanism; and a shield to conceal said adjusted members.

50. The combination of a ballot member with holes therein concealing means and pins carried in said holes and concealed by said concealing means and registering means to be operated by said pins.

51. The combination of a ballot member with holes therein, means which are adapted to be arranged in said holes for actuatmg registers or counters, counters to be operated by said means, and concealing means for said counter-actuating means.

52. In a vote-registering machine, registering mechanism, a detached ballot provided with means adapted to be arranged by the voter to actuate the registering mechanism, and means for concealing the arrangement of said ballot before it is inserted in the machine.

DAVID L. NEWCOMB. \Vitnesses C. W. MoKEE, WILLIAM H. Monsnn. 

